Adidas has just made history by signing a groundbreaking NIL deal with Darryn Peterson, a rising basketball star from Huntington Prep School. At the age of 16, Peterson becomes the first high school athlete to secure such an agreement with the renowned sportswear company, as reported by On3.

In an official statement, Peterson expressed his pride in joining the ranks of elite athletes associated with Adidas, stating, “I’m extremely proud to join an elite group of athletes with adidas. I look forward to working with the team as I embark on this pivotal moment in my career.” Hailing from Huntington Prep School as a five-star prospect and the No. 3 player in the U.S. for the class of 2025, Peterson now shares the Adidas roster with other notable student-athletes like Michael Penix Jr. and Rome Odunze. This move follows Adidas' earlier groundbreaking NIL football deals with Washington Huskies players in October 2023. Eric Wise, the global general manager of Adidas Basketball, expressed excitement about Peterson's addition to the brand, stating, “Darryn is an all-star athlete and at such a young age embodies what adidas Basketball is all about. We cannot wait to see what the future holds and welcome him into the 3 Stripe family.” Before making a mark at Huntington Prep School in Virginia, Peterson played for Cuyahoga Valley Christian Academy (CVCA) in Ohio. The decision to transfer was significantly influenced by the opportunity to leverage NIL deals in West Virginia, where Ohio lacked such provisions, according to CVCA coach Matt Futch. Explaining the decision, Futch stated, “We don’t have NIL deals in Ohio. That was a lot in the reasoning and decision-making that they had to go into making this decision. You gotta put yourself in a position as a young person to take advantage of that. That can be life-changing. That played a major role in this decision because Ohio does not have NIL.” Currently, Peterson's ON3 NIL valuation stands at an impressive $269,000, and he holds the 22nd spot on the high school basketball NIL rank by On3. The valuation takes into account performance, influence, and exposure. Salute to this young man!